The Start of Great Friendships
by sodapopz
Summary: How did Johnny, TwoBit and Dally end up in the gang? Could they not resist TwoBit's humor? Did they find Johnny beaten and take him in like a stray puppy? the shade of difference that seperates a greaser from a hood wasn't evident in Dallas Winston....
1. Chapter 1

Pony 10

Johnny 12

Soda 12-13

Steve 13

Darry 16

Two-Bit 14.5  
Dally 13-14

_**How they met.**_

_Johnny had just moved into the neighborhood with his parents. They had been kicked out of their old house because they didn't have the money to stay there. Johnny didn't really understand. He was too young. One day, his father got drunk and began to beat him. His mother just ignored his cries of help and turned up the volume on the TV. He was thrown, literally, out of the house and told not to go back. It was dark and cold and he was scared. He wondered around, not familiar with the neighborhood, and finally settled down in a vacant lot and began to cry._

_  
_Running down the streets came a gawky dark haired kid, his face in a huge grin.  
He stopped suddenly in order not to run into the kid in front of him.  
"Hello, you ok?"The boy asked, concerned for the other boy.  
Johnny nodded and turned away, hating for anyone to see him crying. Especially someone he didn't know.  
"I'm Ponyboy Curtis...What's your name?"The kid asked, holding out his hand for him to shake.  
"J..." Johnny was about to reply, but then he realized he didn't know the boy. His parents had always told him not to talk to strangers, even though the boy looked a couple of years younger than him. He shrugged, figuring his parents wouldn't find out. "Johnny."  
"Nice to meet you Johnny wanna hang out?"Pony asked, than wondered, "You a greaser?  
Johnny was shocked Pony had just asked to hang out with him.  
He didn't have any friends. Not even from school.  
"A.. greaser?" Johnny asked. He had only heard the word once before and had no idea what it meant, but the kid that had said it to him said it in a such a way it made him feel dirty and bad.  
"I'm one."Pony grinned.

"Ponyboy!" Came a voice from up the road. "Pony! Get back here!"  
A taller boy came running down the road and came to an abrupt halt when he saw Pony and the other kid. He bent over slightly, trying to catch his breath.  
"You gotta quit running off like that. Mom said i'm in charge of you." The taller boy said.  
"Aw, but i don't wanna go home, Darry." Pony complained.  
"Who's your friend?" Darry asked.  
"That's Johnny." Pony said.  
"Hi. I'm Darry." Darry introduced himself to Johnny. "Pony's big brother."  
"Hi." Johnny said in a quiet voice, not knowing what else to say. Pony's brother looked alot older than him.  
"How old are you?" Darry asked.  
"Twelve." Johnny replied.  
"I'm ten." Pony stated. "Darry's sixteen."  
Johnny looked up at Darry. He was tall and he looked a little older than sixteen.  
Darry gave an amused look at Johnny's stare of awe at him.

"Hey why not invite your friend over for dinner Pony, mom won't mind I'm sure of it."Darry suggested, looking back over at Pony.  
"Good idea, so you wanna come Johnny?"Pony asked very entusiastically.  
Johnny looked down, wondering wether he should go home now and maybe the beating would be worse or go to dinner and make get real sore with his parents.  
Johnny looked around. "I'm...not sure." He said.  
"Oh, please." Pony begged. "Plleeeaasse."  
"Pony, don't whine like that. If he can't come, he can't come." Darry said. "You'll see him another day. Come on." Darry turned and began to walk towards his house.  
Pony looked a little annoyed with Darry, but obeyed him and also began to walk away.

"Wait." Johnny said. He nervously looked in the direction of his house. "Maybe i could ask my parents."  
Pony brightened up and grinned. "Yeah." He almost cheered.  
"Okay." Darry smiled. "Where do you live?"  
Johnny looked down the road. "Just down there."  
"Want us to go with you?" Darry asked.  
"Yeah, can we go with you?" Pony repeated, almost jumping for joy.  
"Um.. i don't.. think so." Johnny replied. "I think you should just wait here." Johnny walked off down the road to his house. He opened the door slowly and poked his head in.

"Mom?" He called out quietly. There was no reply. "Dad?"  
He enetered the house and found his mom watching TV still. "Mom, can i go to a friend's house for dinner?" He asked.  
"You don't got any friends." She answered.  
"I just met them. They're really nice." Johnny tried to explain.  
"I said you don't got any friends!" Johnny's mom yelled.  
Johnny's dad appeared in the doorway. "Why are you upsetting your mother?" He yelled.  
"I'm not.. i didn't mean to... i just.." Johnny stumbled through his words.  
His father mimicked him, then grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt and threw him against the wall. He lifted Johnny up to his feet, then punched him, sending him sprawling to the floor again. "Get out of here, boy!" He shouted.

Johnny got up, crying, and ran out of the house staright into Darry who was standing by the front gate.  
"What's wrong?" Pony asked.  
Darry gave Pony a look that made him shut up and put an arm around Johnny. "Come on. You can come back to our house." Darry led Johnny to his house.  
Pony moved up in order to walk beside Darry and in order to ask him something so Johnny wouldn't hear.  
"Why'd you give me that look back there, what's wrong? Please tell me."Pony asked, concerned, frowning when he saw how unreadable Johnny was acting.  
"His parents are no good, they hurt him."Darry informed, placing a hand on Pony's shoulder, knowing full well with such good parents as they had Pony wouldn't understand how someone can do that to their kids.  
Pony's eyes just widened and his mind was wondering just as Darry predicted.

Now falling back next to Johnny, Pony tried to cheer him up with a small smile, now unsure of what to say so as not to get him mad or even more upset.  
The three boys walked into the Curtis' house.  
Mrs.Curtis greeted them at the door. "Did you boy's have fun?" She asked with a genuine smile, then she saw Johnny. "Who's this?"  
"Ma, this is Johnny." Pony said. "We found him. Can he stay for dinner?"  
"Pony, he isn't a dog." Darry said.  
"Of course he can stay for dinner." Mrs. Curtis smiled at Johnny. "Will your parents mind?"  
"They said it's fine." Darry said quickly, seeing how Johnny looked when his mom mentioned his parents.  
"Okay, good." Mrs. Curtis turned towawrds the kitchen. "Soda, set another place for our guest." She called out.

"Come on Johnny, i'll show you my room." Pony grabbed hold of Johnny's sleeve and pulled him towards his and Soda's room.  
"Don't be too long, dinner's almost done." Mrs. Curtis said as the boys disappeared.  
"This is my room." Pony opened the bedroom door. "I have to share with Soda coz we don't have enough rooms. But i don't mind. Soda's my older brother, he's younger than Darry though and he's really good-looking. All the girls like him. Everybody likes Soda."  
Pony paused for a breath and Johnny looked around the room. It was small but cozy. There was one bed in the middle of the room - a double bed, and a desk near the window. There were some clothes and paper thrown about on the floor, but it wasn't messy.  
"His real name is Sodapop. I can show you his birth certificate if you don't believe me." Pony was saying.  
"I believe you." Johnny said in a quiet voice.  
"Boys!" Mrs. Curtis called out. "Dinner's ready! Come and eat!"  
"Yay!" Pony rushed out of the room. "Come on, Johnny."  
Johnny slowly an quietly followed Pony into the dining room. He saw Darry and Mrs. Curtis sitting at the table and watched as Pony jumped onto a chair next to another young boy. Johnny guessed that was Soda and the man at the other end was their dad.

"Hiya, Johnny." The man smiled a big smile.  
Johnny returned a small, polite smile.  
"How long have you lived here, Johnny?" Pony asked as soon as Johnny sat down. "Are you going to the same school as me? I hope we're in the same classes!"  
"Pony, calm down." Mr. Curtis chuckled. "Let the boy eat."  
"Besides," Darry cut in. "You're younger. Johnny would be in Soda's classes."  
Pony pouted.  
Johnny looked at Soda, he didn't look the same age as him.  
Soda shook his head, Darry had a tendancy to be a spoil sport.  
"Doesn't mean they won't see each other around the school grounds."Soda pointed out, throwing Pony a smile to cheer him up.  
He had second thoughts on doing so when Pony's eyes went wide and he burst out with a squeel of excitement.  
Darry gave Soda a cool look as if he warned him this would happen.  
Johnny just watched Pony, a little scared of his outbursts.  
"Don't worry he's not always so perky."Soda reassured him.  
Johnny just nodded sheepishly.  
"Yeah, usually Soda's the one all hyper." Darry smiled at Soda.  
"Am not!" Soda got offended.  
Darry, Pony and their parents laughed, knowing what Darry had said was true.  
Johnny just watched them, feeling a little out of place.

Once they finished eating dinner, Darry and Pony cleared the dishes and went into the kitchen to wash them.  
"Sodapop, i have something to show you." Mr. Curtis said and led Soda away.  
Mrs. Curtis was in the kitchen, fiddling with various things.  
Johnny sat at the dining table alone. He looked around the room.  
There was a piano with a bunch of photographs on top.  
He didn't remember there being any photographs in his house and there definately wasn't a piano.

"Johnny, are you okay?" Mrs. Curtis asked, seeing him sitting at the table alone.  
Johnny nodded and attempted a smile. He looked into the kitchen and saw Pony and Darry had started throwing bubbles at each other.  
"Boys!" Mrs. Curtis laughed. "Stop that!"  
Johnny sighed. He wished he had a brother to play with.  
"Okay, boys. Go off and play." Mrs. Curtis told Pony and Darry.  
They ran out of the kitchen, leaving their mother to clean up after them.  
"Come on, Johnny." Pony said as they ran past him.  
Johnny started to get off the chair, then stopped and watched the two brothers.  
Pony paused in the doorway, "What's wrong, Johnny?" He asked.  
Johnny didn't respond.  
"Come on." Darry beckoned to Johnny. "We're going to play in the back yard."  
Johnny hopped off the chair and followed them. They found Soda already in the back yard.

Soda had a big grin on his face, showing off to Darry his new foot ball.  
"Wanna toss it around?"Soda asked, mainly just to show off more.  
Darry looked at Pony and Johnny hoping they would, for football was his fave sport.  
"Sure, is it ok with you Johnny?"Pony asked to make sure he really was ok.  
Johnny nodded.  
"I wanna be on Darry's team!" Pony called out.  
"No, Darry's on my team." Soda said.  
"But that's not fair!" Pony argued. "You always get Darry and he's bigger than me."  
"It's my ball, i get to choose." Soda said in a slight stuck-up way.  
"How about we don't take teams and it's every man for himself." Darry suggested, then lunged himself at Soda and grabbed the ball from him, then ran off to the other side of the backyard.

Johnny admired the way Darry settled the arguement, but couldn't help feeling a little left out still. He felt like he was intruding.  
For a while, he just stood and watched, until Darry pretended to fall over and drop the ball right in front of him.  
"GET HIM!!" Soda yelled out, and he and Pony charged towards Johnny and the ball. Darry rolled out of the way and Johnny grabbed the ball from off the ground and ran for his life, laughing.  
After playing football for a while, the boys went back in the house and relaxed in front of the TV.

"I wanna play some more." Soda said, throwing his new ball in the air and catching it.  
"You just wanna show off that you got a new ball." Pony said, a hint of jealousy in his voice.  
"Who wants cookies?" Mrs. Curtis asked, and set a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies on the table along with four glasses of milk.  
Soda and Pony jumped up off the floor and ran to the table, grabbing two cookies at a time and gulping down half their milk.  
"Boys," Mrs. Curtis laughed. "Take it easy. There's plenty to go around."  
"Can Johnny stay the night?" Pony asked.  
Johnny looked at Pony, shocked. He had never slept anywhere but his own bed. Mrs. Curtis looked at Johnny.  
"He'll have to ask his parents." She said.  
Johnny shook his head. "I don't know. I don't think i can."  
"Aw, please Johnny." Pony begged.

Johnny felt like crying. He wanted so much to stay there and never go home again, but he was scared of what his father might do.  
"I better go home." Johnny said quietly and headed for the door.  
"Would you like me to drive you home?" Mr. Curtis offered.  
Johnny shook his head. "I live down the road."  
"Want me to walk with you?" Darry offered.  
Johnny shook his head again.  
Pony looked at Darry concerned, he didn't want Johnny to go home alone with parents at home ready to hurt him.  
Darry threw Pony a wink and walked after Johnny.  
"Hope you don't mind me walking with you a bit, I need to run to a place nearby about a part time job."Darry informed, and it was the truth too.  
Johnny shurgged, "Ok I guess."He said and walked on, head down with hands in pockets.  
Johnny didn't much like Darry following him, but didn't want to arouse suspiscion(sp?) by asking him not to.

Once they got to his house, Johnny turned to Darry. "Thanks for walking with me. I'll see you later." He said.  
Darry stood looking at the house and Johnny wondered if he was going to leave or stay there until he went inside.  
Slowly, Johnny opened the gate and began walking up the front path. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Darry still standing there, watching him. Darry gave Johnny a smile, then turned and walked off. Johnny sighed with relief and opened the front door.  
He could hear the TV on and he heard the familar hiss of a beer can being opened, then he heard the flick of a lighter.  
He decided not to go into the front room and went to his bedroom instead, hoping his parents woudn't know he had come home. He remembered his dad telling him to get out of the house and a shiver ran down his spine as he fell into his bed and fell asleep.  
Darry wondered off down the road.

"Okay boys, time for bed." Mrs. Curtis told Soda and Pony.  
"Oh, but it's not even late!" Soda complained.  
"Darry isn't home yet!" Pony wailed like a child.  
Not long after Johnny had fallen asleep, he was startled awake again by the sound of his bedroom door slamming against the wall.

Before his eyes were properly focused, he was being yanked out from under his covers and dragged half way across his room. He let out a startled cry.  
"Shut it!" His dad's voice was harsh and sharp.  
He was thrown to the floor with force.  
"I thought i told you to get out of this house!" His dad yelled, his breath smelt awfully of alcohol. "Do you have a problem with obeying me?"  
"N-n-no." Johnny trembled.  
His dad raised his hand, then hit Johnny with such force, Johnny found himself on the other side of the room, his head smacked against his drawers.  
He began to cry.  
"Get out!" His dad yelled again and kicked him in the stomach and ribs.  
Johnny scampered to his feet, though in pain, and ran out of the house - scared to death. He didn't know where to go.  
As Johnny ran along, tears streaming down his face, he found himself heading towards the vacant lot where he had first met Pony.  
He collapsed onto the old car seat that was abandoned in the middle of the lot and cried. His head hurt a lot from hitting the drawers and from being hit by his father. His chest hurt too.

"Hey." Johnny heard a gentle voice. "Hey, are you okay?"  
Johnny tried to stop crying as he glanced up to see who was there. He recognized the young man towering over him.  
"Darry?" Johnny said weakly through his tears.  
"Yea, kid. It's me." Darry squated down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "What happened?"  
"My... I..." Johnny wanted to tell Darry everything, but he couldn't stop crying. He was crying so much, he couldn't speak.  
"It's ok." Darry said.  
Johnny chocked on his tears and threw his arms around Darry's neck, not being able to control himself. He sobbed like he never had before and it hurt a lot.  
Darry soothed him, holding him in his strong arms. "Shh.. it's ok. You're alright. You'll be fine. You're with me now. No-one will hurt you now."  
"Come on." Darry stood and helped Johnny to his feet. "You can come back home with me. My parents won't mind."  
Johnny shook his head.  
Darry gave him a look that said he was serious and Johnny didn't have a choice. "You're not staying out here all night. It's freezing. You'll freeze to death."  
Johnny, too tired and cold to argue, let Dally lead him to his house.

When they got there, Darry sat him down on the sofa and disappeared into the kitchen to talk to his parents. Pony was already in bed and Soda wondered out of the bathroom and headed for his bedroom when he spotted Johnny.  
"Hey, Johnny!" Soda grinned. "Did your parents let you stay over after all? I'll go tell Pony, he'll be really excited!" Soda ran off to his bedroom, then emerged again with an over-excited Ponyboy on his heals.  
"JOHNNY!!" Pony squealed,(sp?) then abruptly stopped as he saw Johnny's face. "What happened?" He asked.  
Johnny looked away, looking towards the kitchen, beggining Darry for help telepathically.  
Johnny almost believed Darry had read his mind when Darry came out of the kitchen and into the front room, but then realized it was more than likely due to Pony's high-pitched squeal.  
"What's everyone doing outta bed?!"Pony's mom started, coming into the room, only to stop slightly embarrassed from being caught in her night gown and curlers.  
"Oh hello Johnny, you going to be staying the night?"She asked, giving him a warm smile.  
Johnny just nodded sheepishly.

"Alright, Soda, get yourself a pillow and sheets, you'll be on the couch tonight so Johnny will share with Pony."She instructed.  
Soda nodded and headed to the other room to do as he was told.  
"YAY! You get to sleep in my room!" Pony once again became excited, forgetting about Johnny's face.  
Mr. Curtis came out from the kitchen where he had been talking with Darry. He smiled kindly at Johnny, then went to his wife and whispered something into her ear which caused her to give a very concerned look to Johnny.  
"You're welcome to stay here any time you want." Mrs. Curtis told Johnny, then went back into her room.  
Mr. Curtis went after her and in the second the bedroom door was open for, Johnny and Darry both heard Mrs. Curtis crying.  
"You'll be ok." Darry told Johnny, then went into his own bedroom.  
Pony led Johnny to his room.

Johnny climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over himself after borrowing some of Pony's pyjamas. The bed was warm and cozy, but big. He was thankful to share it with Pony, he thought he might get lost in it if he had to sleep alone.  
After a few moments, Johnny knew Pony was asleep by the sound of his soft, gentle breathing. And just a few more moments later, Johnny too drifted to sleep, soothed by the rhythm of Pony's breathing and the gentle /drip, drip, drip/ from the bathroom shower. 


	2. Chapter 2

A few months later

____________________

Johnny was very grateful for the new friends he had made.

They helped him more than they knew.

His dad hadn't stopped beating him, but now he had a place to go and escape and forget everything that went on at his house. He felt safe and wanted at the Curtis' house.

He was sure that was how he was meant to feel at his own house, but he'd given up on that and just accepted it for what it was.

He spent so much time at the Curtis' house these days it was more home than his own place.

Johnny was ambling down the sidewalk, on his way to the vacant lot, where he had agreed to meet Ponyboy that day.

He was so lost in thought, he hadn't even heard the car pull up beside him and the doors slamming shut after two socs had climbed out.

In fact, he hadn't noticed anything until the two socs were standing in front of him, blocking his way.

He stopped walking and glanced up at the socs. They were older than him, that was obvious. They looked to be around Darry's age, maybe a few years older. He was scared, but what made it worse was the fact that he was less scared of these tall, well-built teenagers that were possibly carrying switchblades, than he was of his own father.

"Hey, Grease." One of them snarled.

"What you doing walking around here all on your lonesome?" The other asked.

Johnny shrugged. "Goin' to meet my friend." He replied innocently.

"Friend?" The first soc laughed meanly. "Want a ride?" He asked with a menacing look.

Johnny looked between the two socs. He knew it would be a big mistake to get into that car, but he was terrified of the consequences if he refused the offer. He knew he was in trouble either way.

"It's rude to ignore people." The second soc commented. "I think you need a lesson in manners."

Johnny braced himself, knowing what was sure to follow those words. He closed his eyes and waited.

There was a lot of noise - people shouting, feet shuffling.

Johnny was knocked to the ground.

He kept his eyes shut, waiting for the first blow, but it didn't come.

Instead, he felt a warm hand on his shoulder and a low voice near his ear. "You alright, kid?"

Johnny slowly, cautiously, opened his eyes. The socs had disappeared and crouching next to him was a mean looking kid about the age of Sodapop. He had fiery eyes.

Johnny nodded, still a little shaken and scared of this new person.

"W-What happened?" Johnny asked quietly.

"I scared 'em off." The boy grinned evily, flashing his switchblade. "They wont be back in a hurry."

"Th-Thanks." Johnny managed a slight, nervous smile, flinching at the sight of the blade.

"No problem." The boy shrugged. "It was my pleasure. They should know better than to mess with us. The no good..."

The boy went on to use words that Johnny had only ever heard his father say. He flinched again. The words sounded awful and stung slightly, reminding him of the beating he regularly recieved.

The boy gave him a puzzled look. "You alright?" He asked again.

Johnny nodded. "Someone's waiting for me." He said quietly.

"Come on. I'll walk with you." The boy threw an arm around Johnny's shoulder - a gesture Johnny had grown used to since befriending the Curtis boys. "I'll make sure no-one ever messes with you again."

On the way to the vacant lot, Johnny had learnt all about the boy's history in New York, his police record, how a good a fighter he was, and how to steal things from stores without being caught.

With each word, Johnny had become a little more afraid of the boy.

"Johnny!" Ponyboy called out.

"Hey, Pony." Johnny gave a shy smile.

"Who's that?" Pony asked, notiing the boy walking next to Johnny.

Johnny turned to the boy, not knowing his name.

"I'm Dallas Winston, who are you?" The boy said, giving an inquisitive look.

"I'm Ponyboy Curtis. Johnny's my friend. I found him."

"Pony." Came another voice off to the side.

Sodapop emerged from the bushes. "How many times do we have to tell you?"

"Sorry." Pony gave a sheepish look.

"Well, you might have found him, but i rescued him." Dallas gave a heroic look, grinning evily again.

"What happened?" Soda asked, his face full of concern.

"Some socs tried to beat me up." Johnny admitted.

"I chased 'em off. They'll never mess with little Johnny again." Dallas grinned. "I'll make sure of it."

"Gee." Pony looked at Johnny, then Dallas. "I don't think any socs would come within two steps of you. You're scarey lookin'."

"Pony!" Soda scolded.

"Well, he is!"

Dallas grinned again. He liked people being scared of him, it made him feel tougher.


	3. Chapter 3

((A/N: Sorry if i get any of the grades wrong for the characters, i'm not that familiar with American schools. If i do get the grades wrong, feel free to message me with the corrections.))

Back to School

________________

Soda and Darry stood on the porch outside the Curtis' house, backpaks slung carelessly over their shoulders.  
Johnny approached them slowly, his head down, hands in his pockets.

"Hey!" Soda called to him cheerfully.

"Hi." Johnny replied, less enthusiastically.

"Ready for school?" Darry asked, giving a friendly smile.

Johnny shrugged.

It was his first day at his new school. He knew Pony would be there, but they were in different grades, and he wasn't sure if he would fit in with all of Soda's friends or if Soda would even want him tagging along. Darry went to high school, so Johnny wouldn't be seeing him for the rest of the day.  
The topic of school had come up a few days earlier and Dallas - or Dally, as they had taken to calling him - mentioned that he would be starting high school, but he also made it perfectly clear how he felt about school and said they would be lucky if they caught him in a classroom. 

"Hurry up, Pony!" Darry's voice cut into Johnny's thoughts

"I'm hurryin'!" Pony's voice came from within the house and a few moments later Pony appeared on the porch - his hair was slicked back in a rough imitation of Soda's and he seemed to be wearing clothes that were a little too big for him. "I don't wanna go to school. I look stupid."

"You are stupid." Soda laughed.

"You look fine." Mrs. Curtis appeared behind Pony and gave him a gentle smile, then looked at Johnny and gave him a smile that he couldn't help returning. He instantly felt happier.

"Why do i have to wear these?" Pony continued to complain.

"Because you put holes in all your other clothes." Mrs. Curtis replied softly.

"Come on, let's go." Darry said and headed down the porch steps. Soda and Pony followed him. Johnny stood for a second, then followed behind them.

"You leavin' without me?" A voice called from behind them.

The four of them turned to a see rough-looking hood approaching them.

"I thought you didn't like school?" Soda commented.

Dally shrugged. "I don't."

"So... why are you comin' with us?" Soda asked.

"Thought you might like a bodyguard." Dally grinned.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

About half way to the school, Dally muttered something about a nice car they had walked past about a block away, then ran off in the direction they had come from.

"Bet he could teach me a few things about cars." Soda said.

"I bet he could, but he isn't going to." Darry said. "If i ever catch you hanging out with that hood..." He didn't finish the threat.

"I think he's okay." Johnny mumbled, though he was still a little scared of Dally.

"He's scarey." Pony added.

"He's no good and i don't want any of you hanging around him. He's trouble." Darry lectured.

"Aw, c'mon, he ain't that bad." Soda defended Dally. "He saved little Johnny from gettin' a beatin' from those socs."

"Yea!" Pony chimed, then went silent when Darry flashed a look at him.

"Sounds like he's giving you lessons on how to talk." Darry said to Soda.

"You're just sore 'cause you hang out with those jocks. No-one's allowed to say a word against them, even when they try to beat up a kid!" Soda started shouting at Darry. "Why don't you help them out next time?!"

Darry took a swing at Soda and hit him square in the jaw.

Soda went crazy and lunged at Darry - fists flying everywhere, desperate to make contact with something. He managed to get in a few good punches. They only stopped struggling with each other when Pony jumped between them. They were scared they might him instead.

Pony looked at both of them, then pointed to Johnny.

Johnny was sitting on the curb, covering his face with his arms. His shoulders moved up and down the way they did when someone was crying.

Soda was the first to reach him and sat down next to him, putting an arm across his shaking shoulders. Darry stood n ext to him, hands in his pockets, looking and feeling awkward.

"What's wrong?" Soda asked, full of concern.

Pony sat in the road in front of Johnny, his legs crossed, elbows resting on his knees and head resting on his fists, looking intently at Johnny.

"I... don't like it... when you fight." Johnny managed to say through his sobs.

Soda hugged him. "It's alright. It's all over now."

Johnny continued to cry.

They all knew it wasn't Soda and Darry's fighting that was the problem.

Johnny's parents had begun arguing more and more over the last few weeks and taking it out on him. Sometimes he showed up at the Curtis' house with a black eye, a split lip or a swollen cheek. He had numerous bruises up and down his back, chest, arms and legs. A few times he had even had bruises on his neck. Everybody knew what was going on but he never talked about it, he kept it all bottled up inside.

"You're brothers, you're not supposed to fight." Johnny sobbed. "You're supposed to love each other."

Soda looked up at Darry and they each gave apologetic looks as they knew Johnny was right.

"Shoot kid, i love Darry and Pony more than anything." Soda said, breaking the silence. "Except maybe my parents. I love them more."

Pony's head shot up and he stared at Soda with wide eyes. He knew Soda loved him, but he had never heard Soda say anything like that before. He squinted up at Darry and caught him smiling.

Johnny wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "I'm sorry. I'll be okay in a minute" He said shakily.

Soda ruffled Johnny's hair playfully.

"Come on, we're gonna be late for school." Darry said gently.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

As they approached the school gates, Johnny stared at all the other kids.

The majority of them were neatly dressed in slacks and shirts, or poodle skirts. There weren't many that were dressed the same as him, Pony, Soda and Darry.

They didn't seem to notice and walked through the gates with ease. Johnny stumbled along behind them.

Darry waved to a bunch of guys that seemed about ten times taller then Johnny.

"See you after school." Darry said, then ran off to the group of guys he had waved at.

Soda had been right - Darry _did_ hang out with socs.

"Come on, we'll take you to reception." Soda said and began walking off.

Johnny followed after him with Pony at his side. He kept looking around, trying to take everything in.

The school was bigger than his last school and there were more students. He knew he'd easily get lost more than once. He tried to concentrate on the directions Soda was taking him, but he kept getting distracted by the other students.

"Ah, Ponyboy Curtis!" A man called out as he approached in the corridor.

"First day back at school and you're already in trouble." Soda whispered.

Pony's eyes widened in terror. "I didn't do anything." He pleaded to Soda.

Soda laughed his goofy laugh.

Johnny couldn't help but smile.

"And this must be our new student." The man said, looking at Johnny. "Two birds, one stone." He smiled.

Johnny didn't know what that meant.

"Follow me." The man turned and began walking.

"That's the principal." Soda told Johnny, then followed him, beckoning for Pony and Johnny to follow too.

The principal called Johnny into his office first and gave him a list of classes that he would be attending and a piece of paper with a small map of the school.

"If you have any problems, come and find me." He said before opening the door to let Johnny out.

Pony and Soda sat waiting outside the office.

"Sodapop Curtis. Don't you have classes to attend?" The principal asked.

"None that are of any interest." Soda replied, smiling goofily.

"Go on, off you go. You don't want detention for being late." The principal shook his head and smiled.

Soda pouted, but picked up his backpack and motioned for Johnny to follow him.

"Ponyboy. Come in."

Pony nervously entered the room.


	4. Chapter 4

((A/N: I don't have a clue what grade it was that Ponyboy skipped... i actually think he skipped a grade after he got into high school, but i just felt like putting it in here. Don't quote me on anything that's in this or any of my other stories... everything i write is a guess or made up. And it's all just for fun, right? Right!

Also just like to add this so people don't get confused and can get a slightly better image of the classroom - all the students have their own individual desks.))

A bell rang above Johnny's head causing him to jump visibly.  
As Johnny and Soda rounded a corner, Johnny noticed the majority of students had dissappeared from the hallway. There were still a few scattered around, but they were all rushing to get some where. Johnny guessed the bell that had rung had indictated the begining of classes. He still had no idea where he was meant to be going.  
Soda snatched the paper from Johnny's hand that had his class schedule on. He looked at it briefly then smiled.  
"Looks like we got a few classes together." Soda announced.  
Johnny let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was relieved to know he wasn't going to be completely alone for the rest of the day. Though he still wasn't sure if he'd fit in with Soda's friends.  
"Come on. We're late." Soda said and began leading Johnny to their first class.

Soda took a seat by the window towards the centre of the row. Johnny tentatively sat in the seat next to Soda. A boy stood in front of him, arms folded across his chest, staring down at him with a menacingly mean look.  
"You're in my chair." He said.  
"S-Sorry." Johnny stumbled and began to rise from the chair.  
"Aw, Steve, leave him alone. He's new here." Soda pushed Johnny back down on the chair.  
The boy looked at Soda. "You know him?"  
"Yea, he's Pony's friend."  
"Pony has a firend?!" Steve raised his eyebrows, then turned his attention on Johnny and looked him up and down.  
Johnny squirmed in his chair, feeling uncomfortable.  
Finally, Steve moved and sat in a seat in front of Soda.

A few minutes into the lesson, the classroom door opened and a student walked in.

Johnny glanced up from his text book briefly, then his head snapped back up again as he recognized the young boy standing before the teacher's desk.

Johnny looked over to Soda to see if he had noticed, but he was busy flicking elastic bands back and forth with Steve.

The teacher read the note the boy had handed him, then said aloud "Find a seat, Ponyboy."

Soda, who had been half under his desk picking up fallen elastic bands, hit his head on the desk as he attempted to jump up at hearing his youner brother's name.

"Ponyboy..?" Soda looked puzzled. "What in the world are you-"

"Quiet, ." The teacher him off.

Ponyboy shot a smug grin at his older brother and plopped down into a chair next to Johnny.

Steve glared at Ponyboy, then shot an elastic band at Soda's cheek.

"Hey!" Soda leapt from his seat, shocked by the sudden pain.

"!" The teacher snapped. "Out!"

"But he-" Soda started.

"I don't want to hear it! Out, now."

Soda sighed angrily, then snatched up an elastic band from his desk and pinged it at Steve.

"I trust you know your way to the principal's office!" The teacher took hold of Soda's arm and marched him out of the classroom. "I'll be seeing you in detention."

"That punk." Steve laughed to himself.

Johnny sat frozen to his seat. He didn't know what to think. He was sure glad Pony had joined the class or he would have been surrounded by strangers right at that moment.


End file.
